Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) blog on competitive gaming in South Africa from proto-computer gaming all the way through to the most modern. For more about MSSA go to: https://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa/

Friday, 21 July 2017

Growth is dependent on introspection.

The growth of esports, like any other sport, requires the sport to adapt from year-to-year in order to accommodate changes.

This we have seen in traditional sports like cricket where the faster paced T20 series has become more popular than the 5-day test matches. It does not mean that the 5-day test matches have been replaced, all it means that there are now other alternatives.

So it is with rugby. 'Currie Cup' was once hailed as the highest standard of play for the South African provincial franchises. However, the dominance of 'Currie Cup' has, in my opinion, largely been replaced by 'Super Rugby'. In my mind, the thrill of seeing South African franchises take on the Australians and New Zealanders eclipses the 'Currie Cup'.

And so it is with esports.

There are various ways of promoting esports, some very different to each other.

The problem is that when a group of gamers fail to understand that various techniques should be used, growth and development is nigh on impossible amongst such group.

The largest problem that South African esports has, just like any other sporting code, is that it is easy to develop a 'bif-fish-in-a-small-pond' mentality. As such a team that does well in South African events may continually fail to do well in international events as on an international level it will be a 'minnow'.

So how is this trend reversed?

For a start the players who wish to compete on an international level have to shelve there personal likes and dislikes and adopt a professional attitude on all levels.

By playing in every possible local competition, the team would thus ready itself by qualifying for more international events. By only playing in some, and excluding others, the team does no justice to itself and its gamers.

The key is to play in as many international events as possible.

However, once players in South Africa improve sufficiently, South African gaming will have a new problem - as like all other sports - in that the top players will leave South Africa to play in more lucrative markets.

The fact that so few South Africans get placed in foreign professional teams is the true acid test of the current standard of South African gaming.